June 2016

June 07, 2016

Today is my cancerversary and it looks like I’ve outlived my 5-7 year diagnosis! From here on out, it only gets better!

I hate to admit it, but you know what? For the past few years this “5-7 year life expectancy” has been haunting me. At any second I felt I was capable of going into a seizure and never waking up. In fact that nearly happened to me in December of 2014. But after that intense seizure, I visited Mayo and my U.S. News and World Report ranked “Best Neurosurgeon" doctor told me I wouldn’t see Viola born in May of 2015. That struck me deep. I became overly concerned about what seemed like my dismal future.

But after seeing that SHRINKAGE last month, I have to grasp on to the future once again! I can’t continue thinking about my death any more. I want long-term goals again. I want to plan my family’s vacation to Iceland. I want to pay off my debt. I want to teach my girls how to ride bikes and hold their breath under water. I want to walk each of them down the aisle. I want to focus on using my skills to give back to the community. I want to live until I'm 97 years old. It’s time for “LIFE” to start happening to me again!

Nevertheless, as today was approaching, I was still going through the stress of having another baby amidst our growing medical bills, so I decided to make a strong move towards consistency. So I took a new job working at AUXILIARY Advertising & Design. I’ve been with AUX (AUXILIARY Advertising and Design) as a Strategic Leader for just over two months now. RobinHook Ink. isn’t over with, but I’ve become highly selective about which jobs I choose to take under that name. But when I took this new job at AUX, I started sleeping through the nights, my stress levels started lessening, and everyday I wake up looking forward to laughing with my co-workers. Life is starting to feel good again!

Since I’ve nearly outlived my initial diagnosis, my future is still up in the air. Only God knows the number of my days (as He always has), so I have to continue letting go of any type of control I thought I had and press on. And in this new phase of life, I want to continue telling my story. I want to continue speaking and sharing about my ongoing victory over cancer. I recently spoke in Omaha and I think it’s time I continue. If any of you are interested in hearing my story (with new additions including a wife, 3 kids, and outliving my diagnosis!!), I would love to hear from you!

Visit my NEW homepage, davidvwenzel.com and book me to speak to your friends, students, congregations, or conference goers!

You better believe that tonight we will all be flicking off a cake and toasting to a future, not marked by remaining numbers of years, but marked by countless moments of love and peace for as many days as I have left. I love my elongated life and I love each and every one of you! Thank you for sticking with me through these years. And when I die at 97 years old, let's all share a laugh about this whole thing!